diff --git a/docs/bootc-images.md b/docs/bootc-images.md
index 8a3355634..afa1470c3 100644
--- a/docs/bootc-images.md
+++ b/docs/bootc-images.md
@@ -50,6 +50,16 @@ The requirement for both methods is that your initial treefile/manifest
 However, the ostree usage is an implementation detail
 and the requirement on this will be lifted in the future.
 
+## Standard metadata for bootc compatible images
+
+It is strongly recommended to do:
+
+```dockerfile
+LABEL containers.bootc 1
+```
+
+This will signal that this image is intended to be usable with `bootc`.
+
 # Deriving from existing base images
 
 It's important to emphasize that from one
diff --git a/lib/src/cli.rs b/lib/src/cli.rs
index da4441bab..77154fcb7 100644
--- a/lib/src/cli.rs
+++ b/lib/src/cli.rs
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ async fn upgrade(opts: UpgradeOpts) -> Result<()> {
                 println!("No changes in: {}", imgref);
             }
             PrepareResult::Ready(r) => {
+                crate::deploy::check_bootc_label(&r.config);
                 println!("Update available for: {}", imgref);
                 if let Some(version) = r.version() {
                     println!("  Version: {version}");
diff --git a/lib/src/deploy.rs b/lib/src/deploy.rs
index 6b4373983..df53779e0 100644
--- a/lib/src/deploy.rs
+++ b/lib/src/deploy.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ use ostree_ext::sysroot::SysrootLock;
 
 use crate::spec::HostSpec;
 use crate::spec::ImageReference;
+use crate::status::labels_of_config;
 
 // TODO use https://github.com/ostreedev/ostree-rs-ext/pull/493/commits/afc1837ff383681b947de30c0cefc70080a4f87a
 const BASE_IMAGE_PREFIX: &str = "ostree/container/baseimage/bootc";
@@ -84,6 +85,26 @@ pub(crate) async fn new_importer(
     Ok(imp)
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn check_bootc_label(config: &ostree_ext::oci_spec::image::ImageConfiguration) {
+    if let Some(label) =
+        labels_of_config(config).and_then(|labels| labels.get(crate::metadata::BOOTC_COMPAT_LABEL))
+    {
+        match label.as_str() {
+            crate::metadata::COMPAT_LABEL_V1 => {}
+            o => eprintln!(
+                "notice: Unknown {} value {}",
+                crate::metadata::BOOTC_COMPAT_LABEL,
+                o
+            ),
+        }
+    } else {
+        eprintln!(
+            "notice: Image is missing label: {}",
+            crate::metadata::BOOTC_COMPAT_LABEL
+        )
+    }
+}
+
 /// Wrapper for pulling a container image, wiring up status output.
 #[context("Pulling")]
 pub(crate) async fn pull(
@@ -101,6 +122,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn pull(
         }
         PrepareResult::Ready(p) => p,
     };
+    check_bootc_label(&prep.config);
     if let Some(warning) = prep.deprecated_warning() {
         ostree_ext::cli::print_deprecated_warning(warning).await;
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/lib.rs b/lib/src/lib.rs
index fafdd991e..9bb1ac3d2 100644
--- a/lib/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/src/lib.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 pub mod cli;
 pub(crate) mod deploy;
 mod lsm;
+pub(crate) mod metadata;
 mod reboot;
 mod reexec;
 mod status;
diff --git a/lib/src/metadata.rs b/lib/src/metadata.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4db5758bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/metadata.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+/// This label is expected to be present on compatible base images.
+pub(crate) const BOOTC_COMPAT_LABEL: &str = "containers.bootc";
+/// The current single well-known value for the label.
+pub(crate) const COMPAT_LABEL_V1: &str = "1";